Spas of Budapest

Budapest is a spa capital, and in accordance it can boast a huge range of different types of spas from historic Turkish and Roman baths to medical facilities and party spas. Here we present more than 12 baths and strands to choose from.

Hippocrates, the father of medicine, was the first to proclaim: "Nature is the physician of our diseases". Mother Nature has been especially bountiful towards Hungary: the country sits on one of the richest geothermal and medicinal water resources in the world. The local culture of bathing dates back two thousand years; excavated remains of bath houses, frescoes and mosaics demonstrate that the Romans discovered and exploited these thermal water resources.

Hungarian water is not just for splashing – it can be soothing too. The country is blessed with an abundance of natural thermal springs, which emerge at a temperature of 86°F/30°C and are full of salts and minerals.

Hungarian springs have supported a bathing culture dating back to Roman times. Whether you're after relaxation, refreshment, rejuvenation or recovery, Hungary will not fail to meet your needs. Many towns have thermal baths of some sort, providing not only the chance to soak away those aches but also to take advantage of massages, saunas and perhaps more advanced treatments such as pearl baths and Kneipp treatments. The water can be used to ease specific medical complaints (including muscular, arthritic, gynaecological and skin conditions) or simply to pamper the body. In addition to the public baths, over 50 spa hotels have been constructed, allowing guests to tailor their holidays around the beneficial effects of the springs.

One of the largest bathing complexes in Europe, the premier medical baths of Pest- Its thermal springs were discovered in 1879; they are the deepest and hottest ( 74 - 75 C. ) thermal wells in the capital. The neo - Baroque baths were built in1913, the swimming pool in 1927. The open - air sections with their pleasantly warm waters are equally popular in winter.

One of most popular baths for tourists visiting Budapest. The medical spring here was already famous in the 13th century. The spa is decorated with a wealth of original Art Nouveau furnishings, artistic mosaics, stained glass windows and sculptures, although the interior of the hotel built alongside has lost many of these fittings over the years.

This bath was built in the Turkish era, but there was a medical center already in the 12th century. Lukács was renewed in 2012, and now it's a classical, but also international-quality spa with swimming pool, fun-pool, medical thermal pool and weight-bath. There are also a salt wall, sauna, Kneipp pool and lounge.

The bath was built in 1550, and then reconstructed by Pasha Sokoli Mustafa in 1566. Some of the Turkish-period features are still used today: the octagonal pool, the four small corner pools, each with water of a different temperature, and the characteristic Turkish dome. In its drinking hall, the water of the springs Hungária, Attila and Juventus can be consumed for the purposes of a drinking cure. In the bath, there is a daytime outpatient hospital operating with a complex physiotherapy department. Rudas is open at night every Friday and Saturday - let's go night bathing!

The biggest and one of the most beautiful of the Turkish baths is actually less well-known for the tourists, owing to its hidden position; during the 19th century it was completely built around. In the distant past it was used for healing purposes only, was not opened to the public.

These baths were closed for more than 10 years, but have now been completely rennovated andreopened. Due to the rapid flow of the hot springs spring here, the water completely changes 4 times a day! Therefore no chlorine is needed, good news if you are sensitive to that widely-used chemical. Currently there are 4 family pools in the corners, each at a different water temperature: 16C°, 32C°, 34C°, 40C°. For individual refreshment 16 fountains can be enjoyed.In the wellness area there are 2 steam baths with different oil fragrances, Massage showers with an ice machine, Finnish sauna and an Infra sauna.

Open Air Strands/Lidos

Strands are the large open air pool parks only operating from late spring till the end of summer. The five greatest are the Római, Paskál, Palatinus on Margaret Island, Dagály, Csillaghegyi and Pünkösdfürdői. Some of them have slides, experience pools, soccer courts or grass fields, food stands, thermal pools.

The Bath Complex awaits the bathgoers on an area of more than 4000 sqm. Great slide experiences are guaranteed: A total of 19 slides are available, which if laid end to end (they are not, actually laid end to end of course!) would stretch a distance of 1km. It is an ideal place for families looking for fun in cold and warm days. Looking for adventure? Try the surf pool or take a diving lecture.

If you only have one day to enjoy the waters, do take advantage of our offer of a free bus ride out from Budapest, just 18km to the Aquaréna complex in mogyoród. Named as "Hungary's best waterpark" in an independent survey, it boasts 21 waterslides, with more than half a kilometer of slides, both up in the air and below ground too! In addition there are 9 pools, including fantasy pools, a 3 -storey plunge pool, lazy river, facilities for beachball, football and badminton and all sorts of water activities. There are "VÁR A NYÁR" (Summer is here) parties on Wednesdays and Saturdays, with sports and local celebrities at the main stage. Guests can also arrange accommodation at our lodging and camping areas.

Hungary, the land of hot water springs and thermal baths, hosts a unique party series that has been transforming bath culture and Budapest night life for more than a decade. Cinetrip is an audio-visual genre, which brings the atmosphere of the heroic-archaic ages of the cinema to the audience through the means of modern technology with DJs, live acts, fire dancers, aerial acrobats, water ballet, oriental style belly dancers. From 2013 these parties have been organised in the renewed Likács Bath, as well as the historical Széchenyi Baths. They also provide massage and various surprise activities. You can buy all kind of drinks and sandwiches, and naturally all the pools are open! Dates and further info here.

Aquaworld also organises night bath and sparties, called Splash Night Slide Party. The night is all about having fun with a live DJ, lights, cocktails and salsa dancers among the slides, wave pool, adventure pool, jacuzzi and saunas. For dates go to : www.aquaworld.hu